Accommodation vendors urged to stop demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
Accommodation vendors urged to stop demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
Blog Article
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords never to demand a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This arrives immediately after NSFAS acquired stories about some accommodation providers who require NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment so that you can get access to the approved private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation suppliers from the compulsory conditions, as provided by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement amongst the personal accommodation companies and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS stated in a press release on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states the rent will probably be paid out month-to-month into the accommodation company (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance using the NSFAS terms and conditions for personal accommodation providers’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not call for or allow the lessee to pay a deposit, top-up payments, or another sorts of payment to the lessor, or some other person in reference to this agreement, like payment of hire, whilst awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall have no recourse from the lessee for any default within the payment of rent by NSFAS," the agreement reads.
The NSFAS conditions and terms for private accommodation vendors’ participation on the student accommodation portal also states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded because of here an incorrect selection by NSFAS, the coed won't be liable for payment of any arrear rent to your accommodation supplier, up right until the date of being defunded."
NSFAS spelled out that exactly where the NSFAS-funded student chooses to here carry on occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding becoming defunded by NSFAS, the student nsfas student allowances are going to be accountable for payment of hire for the lessor from your date of getting defunded.
"Where the student is defunded by NSFAS due to a misrepresentation by the lessee/guardian at any stage, the student must immediately vacate the leased property; and will be liable for payment of all rent due to the accommodation provider.
"Where the student moves, accommodation providers without click here the prior approval of NSFAS, NSFAS may elect not to pay any rental to the new accommodation provider, and any such rental payments will more info be for the student own account," the scheme said.
The scheme emphasised that any dispute arising between the parties regarding the interpretation or implementation of the agreement, must be dealt with in accordance with any dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za